Synthesis of ZnO nanowires on aluminum flake by aqueous method

ZnO nanowires are grown on aluminum flake at low temperature by using a simple aqueous solution method. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) are applied to determine the as-grown ZnO nanowires morphology and crystal structures. The results show that the ZnO nanowires have wurtzite structure, and the diameter and length of the nanowire are 30 nm and more than 1.5 μm, respectively. Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) and Raman spectrum reveal the nanowires have good optical properties with low tensile stress. Meanwhile, photoelectrochemical cell (PEC) study verifies that ZnO nanowires as photoanodes are relatively stable in the photo-oxidation process, which could be a promising technique for practical applications.